So, we've been doing literally nothing in regards to umbilical care. With my DD, we put alcohol on it every diaper change, and followed the ped's instructions to the letter, and it took nearly three weeks to fall off, getting really gross and grimy at the end there. With Duncan, we've been ignoring it, as I've recently read that's a better approach. He has still not had a bath, at 5 days old, so it's never been wet with anything but my amniotic fluid. Today, I've noticed a little bit of blood around the base of it. No smells, no puss, nothing else unusual, just a little bit of blood. Is this cause for concern? His diapers do tend to rub the cord, even though we try to fold them down, but I don't think there's really a way to avoid a little bit of contact. I was also looking at him from the side tonight, while he was getting a diaper change, and I noticed that when he arched his back a little bit, the cord kind of peaks upwards. Normal?

I know better than to worry unnecessarily, but darn it! This stuff just bugs me! I hate umbilical cords. Wish they'd just be belly buttons from the start.

I'm naive.
What can go wrong with the umbillical cord, and why is everyone nervous? What can go wrong?

Other than the my unrealistic irrational fear that it will pop off and poor baby will deflate or float away like a balloon--or hurt my little baby, I think doctors say infection is possible. But puss, reddness, and bad smell are signs first. Bleeding is normal from what I have read and heard.

Other than the my unrealistic irrational fear that it will pop off and poor baby will deflate or float away like a balloon--or hurt my little baby, I think doctors say infection is possible. But puss, reddness, and bad smell are signs first. Bleeding is normal from what I have read and heard.

No worries, caroline.

ROFL. That's the exact same fear I have. And, I love this little guy too much to have him float away.

But, in all seriousness, I think it's more to do with the fact that you just feel so protective of them when they're this tiny. They completely rely on you to keep them fed, warm, changed and pain free. And, to see this little wound on their bellies is kind of heartwrenching. Besides, I just have to worry about something. LOL.

Totally normal Talia's did exactly the same thing, fell of at five days and seeped a bit of blood and occasionally pus (but not nasty or smelly) for about a week afterward. It *is* scary since it just makes you *convinced* that your child is going to get a deadly infection... but it's really not a big deal!

Well, the good(ish) news is that it's practically fallen off tonight. Hanging on by a thread. Ewwww! Like I said earlier, last time, we mothered that cord to death and it hung on for three weeks. This time, nada, and one week later, it will be gone.

Now, if I could just not be so squeamish about it, it will probably drop off in my hands by morning and I can totally forget there was ever a cord.

Just keep it clean and try to keep the diapers off of it if possible. You can also use witch hazel to clean it off. It seems to take longer for it to fall off using rubbing alcohol. Ians fell off after one week and he has had a little bleeding but we just clean it with a q-tip and witch hazel. Seems to be doing fine.

Good luck and don't worry! Totally normal from what everyone tells me.

Cheryl

AP, Homeschooling, Part-Time working mom with 3 rambunctious boys all born with love at home. (04 & 08 & 12).

So is not useing anything on it best??? I used alcohol on it every diaper change with the first two and it took there's litterally 3 months to fall off... there has to be somthing differant that will work better?? Is it really better to use nothing???